The Commodores | Encyclopedia of Alabama The Commodores Ben Berntson, Auburn University The funk and soul band the Commodores emerged from Tuskegee Institute (present-day Tuskegee University ) in Macon County to become a widely known and popular Motown act. The band's rise to superstardom stalled when lead singer Lionel Richie left to pursue a solo career, but remaining members regrouped to arguably peak in 1985 with the Grammy-winning album Nightshift. Commodores The Commodores formed in 1968 when members from former campus bands The Mystics and The Jays got together. After some early personnel changes, members consisted of Lionel Richie, at the time a novice saxophonist, vocalist, and keyboardist; guitarist Thomas McClary: vocalist and drummer Walter "Clyde" Orange, a student at Alabama State University in Montgomery ; bass and trumpet player Ronald LaPread; Milan Williams on keyboards, drums, and guitar; and William King on trumpet. The group became known as a hot party band in the central Alabama area. In 1969, the group traveled to New York to play a charity show, where they met public relations representative Benjamin "Benny" Ashburn.

He became the band's manager and booked them locally and on summer cruises abroad. The Commodores recorded briefly with Atlantic Records, but their rise to stardom really began in 1970 when Ashburn's connection with recording executive Suzanne dePasse of Motown Records landed the Commodores their first tour, opening for the Jackson Five. Motown signed the group to a recording and performing contract in 1972. Still attending college at Tuskegee, the Commodores struggled to achieve national success until 1974, when they released their first album, Machine Gun. It sold more than 500,000 copies, making it their first gold record (500,000 copies sold). During 1974-75, the group released two albums, Caught in the Act and Movin' On, which had a Top-10 hit with Richie's ballad "Sweet Love." The group toured with the Rolling Stones and Stevie Wonder.

In 1976, they released Hit on the Tracks and in 1977 again broke into the Top 10 with Richie's love song "Just To Be Close To You," their first platinum album (one million copies sold) that also featured the signature funk song "Brick House." By this time the Commodores had moved toward Richie's slower, ballad-laden style. "Three Times A Lady," reportedly a personal "thank you" from Richie to his wife, Brenda, at home in Tuskegee , topped the charts in 1978 and was the band's first number one single. Ritchie also began collaborating with artists outside the band, writing the chart-topping hits "Lady" for Kenny Rogers and "Endless Love" for Diana Ross. In 1978, the Commodores also appeared in the disco movie Thank God It's Friday. Entering the 1980s, the band experimented with more funk and rock, growing away from Richie's softer style. In 1982, Richie released his first solo single, "Truly." In August of that year, manager Benny Ashburn died of heart attack, and Richie left the Commodores to pursue a solo career.

The Commodores hired ex-television executive Chuck Smiley as manager and toured in Europe as they sought another vocalist. Skyler Jett replaced Richie as lead vocalist through 1983 as the band toured internationally. In 1984, Clyde Orange took over as lead singer for much of their first post-Richie album, 13, and guitarist McClary left the band to pursue a solo career with Motown Records, replaced by Sheldon Reynolds, who played with the Commodores until Current Commodores leaving to join Earth, Wind, and Fire in 1987. Vocalist J. D. Nicholas, formerly of England-based funk band Heatwave, also joined the group in 1984. This lineup led to the Commodores' first Grammy for the album Nightshift in 1985, also their last album to go gold. Soon after, they left Motown Records over a dispute between the release of their next record and Richie's album Dancing on the Ceiling. The group signed with Polygram Records, releasing United in 1986, after which LaPread left the group, and Rock Solid in 1988 to limited success.

The Commodores canceled a 1988 performance at Sun City Resort in South Africa as the result of anti-apartheid pressure, and soon after Williams left the band. In 1992, the group founded its own record label, Commodores Records and Entertainment, which has released Commodores Christmas (1992), No Tricks (1993), The Very Best (1995), and The Definitive Collection (2003). In 1995, the band was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2015, former band bodyguard Johnny Bailey and several associates purchased the band's former studio in Tuskegee, which had been left largely untouched and filled with equipment and memorabilia since 1982, and opened it as the Commodores Museum. Currently, Orange, King, and Nicholas remain with the band, producing records and touring with their longtime backup band, Mean Machine. In 2009, rumors of a reunion between The Commodores and Richie were stoked by comments made by Richie during interviews, but nothing materialized. Additional Resources George, Nelson.

"Lionel Richie: Truly Still Easy" in Buppies, B-Boys, Baps, & Bohos: Notes on Post-Soul Black Culture. Cambridge, Mass.: Da Capo Press, 2001. First published 1992 by Harper Collins Publishers. Koenig, Teresa. Lionel Richie. Mankato, Minn.: Crestwood House Inc., 1986. Thompson, Dave. Funk. San Francisco: Backbeat Books, 2001. Published: July 3, 2012 | &nbspLast updated: October 8, 2015 THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ALABAMA Welcome to your free, online resource on Alabama history, culture, geography, and natural environment. This site offers articles on Alabama's famous people, historic events, sports, art, literature, industry, government, plant and animal life, agriculture, recreation, and so much more.

NAVIGATE The Commodores Tickets, Tour Dates 2017 & Concerts – Songkick Kung Fu Necktie Philadelphia, PA, US Biography The Commodores are one of the most prolific hit makers of the 70s and 80s, and an absolute staple within the funk and soul community. Though the group has been through multiple lineup changes and has adapted their sound with the times, they have never skimped on quality music. The members of the Commodores met in the late 60s at Tuskegee University in Alabama and initially emerged from two different groups. The band started out as a sextet with Lionel Richie, Thomas McClary, and William King transitioning from the Mystics and Andre Callahan, Michael Gilbert, and Milan Williams coming from the Jays. James Ingram was the band’s original singer; however, he was several years older than most of the other members and left the band to serve in the Vietnam war. Lionel Richie and Clyde Orange filled the vacant spot alternating on vocals. The band started booking dates around town and even travelled to New York to play the club, Smalls Paradise.

The band eventually booked a residency for two weeks at the club and steadily started building a name for themselves outside their hometown. The band boosted their prominence in New York City and auditioned for an un-known opening spot for a high profile act. The Commodores past the audition and got the position opening up for the Jackson 5. The group’s performances were met with overwhelming enthusiasm and eventually caught the attention of the renowned soul label Motown. They secured a deal with Motown and released their first single “Machine Gun”, which reached #7 on the R&B charts and #22 on the pop charts. The song has gone on to be featured in countless sporting events and has been incorporated in the movies “Boogie Nights” and “Looking for Mr. Goodbar”. It was even sampled on the Beastie Boys’ classic album “Paul’s Boutique”. The band followed up this hit with yet another instrumental track called “Cebu”. “Cebu” was a soul-oriented smooth jam that was a key song in the pioneering of the Quiet Storm genre. After the release of “Machine Gun” the band put out three albums within a two year time span.

“Caught in the Act” and “Movin’ On” came out in 1975 while “Hot on the Tracks” was released in 1976. The latter album climbed to No. 12 on the US charts and went all the way to No.1 on the US R&B charts. The group made a slight departure from their hard driving funk sound and delved into slow downed ballads and soft jams (this is particularly evident in the country roots ballad “Easy”); however, the Commodores returned strongly to form with their breakthrough single “Brick House”. The single was based on an off the cuff bass riff from Ronald LaPread and lyrics penned by William King’s wife. It became a disco sensation and went to No. 5 on the US charts and to No. 32 on the UK pop charts. The band managed to top this with the release of “Three Times a Lady” and the 1979 ballad “Still”, both which peaked to No. 1 on the US charts. The band continued to keep their stride in the 80s and in 1981 released the No. 4 hit “Oh No” and the No.

8 dance track “Lady (You Brin Me Up)”. The same year Lionel Richie released the No.1 single “Endless Love” with R&B/pop legend Diana Ross. The single remained at No.1 on the US R&B charts for 7 weeks and the US pop charts for 9 weeks. The popularity of this song acted as a precursor to the success of Richie’s solo career. Richie left the Commodores just a year after the release of “Endless Love”. Despite the loss of one of their star members, the Commodores managed to perform at the top of their game. They recruited Heatwave singer J.D. Nicholas to fill the Richie’s position and shortly after put out the single “Nightshift”, which earned the group a Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals. The single was not only a massive critical success it also did immensely well commercially spending 4 weeks on top of the charts. The Commodores changed their sound to a more straightforward pop tone in the late 80s and in the 90s the lineup narrowed down to only three core members: Walter Orange, William King, and J.D. Nicholas.

Though the group drastically slowed down production of original studio albums they still kept busy re-recording their greatest hits, putting out Christmas albums and forming their own record label. The band also has been on extensive world tours throughout the 90s and 2000s playing at venues ranging from festival stages to arenas. Live reviews The Commodores Motown Records, at this point, has given forth to a well-established trend that sees many of their star acts still going strong today, albeit with reshuffled lineups; The Commodores might not be quite as long in the tooth as the likes of, say, The Four Tops, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t deserve respect for a career that has now spanned in excess of forty-five years. Their seventies glory days saw them rack up a slew of chart hits, from ‘Easy’ to ‘Three Times a Lady’ and ‘Sweet Love’ to ‘Just to Be Close to You’, and whilst the twilight of their heyday - the early eighties - does indeed coincide with the departure of Lionel Richie, that doesn’t mean that their live shows are any less valid as a result.

Admittedly, they haven’t released a new full-length of any description since 1993’s No Tricks, but they’ve remained committed to extensive touring schedules since. They ofte hit the road with some of their Motown contemporaries in tow, as indeed was the case back in 2009, when they completed their most recent lap of the UK; they hit arenas with The Miracles, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas and Mary Wilson as part of the Once in a Lifetime: Motown Legends tour, delivering quickfire, hit-packed sets to huge crowds that, in themself, prove that the lustre of the Motown era simply refuses to fade, and that it’s less about the lineups of these classic acts than the songs themselves. Lionel Richie Bio | Lionel Richie Career | MTV Alternative After leaving the Commodores, Lionel Richie became one of the most successful male solo artists of the '80s, arguably eclipsed during his 1981-1987 heyday only by Michael Jackson and Prince. Richie dominated the pop charts during that period with an incredible run of 13 consecutive Top Ten hits, five of them number ones.

As his popularity skyrocketed, Richie moved further away from his R&B origins and concentrated more on adult contemporary balladry, which had been one of his strengths even as part of the Commodores. After 1987, Richie fell silent, taking an extended break from recording and touring before beginning a comeback toward the end of the '90s. He settled into a relaxed recording and touring schedule. Through the early 2010s, his albums switched between sophisticated R&B, surprisingly pop-oriented material, and even contemporary country. Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr., was born on June 20, 1949, in Tuskegee, Alabama, and grew up on the campus of the Tuskegee Institute, where most of his family had worked for two generations prior. While attending college there, Richie joined the Commodores, who went on to become the most successful act on the Motown label during the latter half of the '70s. Richie served as a saxophonist, sometime vocalist, and songwriter, penning ballads like "Easy," "Three Times a Lady," and "Still" (the latter two became the group's only number one pop hits).

Although the Commodores maintained a democratic band structure through most of their chart run, things began to change when the '70s became the '80s. In 1980, Richie wrote and produced country-pop singer Kenny Rogers' across-the-board number one smash "Lady," and the following year, Richie's duet with Diana Ross, "Endless Love" (recorded for the Brooke Shields film of the same title), became the most successful single in Motown history, topping the charts for a stunning nine weeks. With the media's attention now focused exclusively on Richie, tensions within the Commodores began to mount, and before the end of 1981, Richie decided to embark on a solo career. Richie immediately set about recording his solo debut for Motown. Titled simply Lionel Richie, the album was released in late 1982 and was an immediate smash, reaching number three on the pop charts on its way to sales of over four million copies. It spun off three Top Five pop hits, including the first single, "Truly," which became Richie's first solo number one. If Lionel Richie made its creator a star, the follow-up, Can't Slow Down, made him a superstar.

Boasting five Top Ten singles, including the number ones "All Night Long (All Night)" and "Hello," Can't Slow Down hit number one, eventually sold over ten million copies, and won the 1984 Grammy for Album of the Year. Such was Richie's stature that he was invited to perform at the closing ceremonies of the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, a spectacular stage event that was broadcast worldwide. In 1985, Richie put his superstar status to work for a greater good, joining Michael Jackson in co-writing the USA for Africa charity single "We Are the World"; the all-star recording helped raise millions of dollars for famine relief. By the end of the year, he was on top of the charts again with "Say You, Say Me," a ballad recorded for the film White Nights but not included on the soundtrack album. The song was slated to be the title track on Richie's upcoming album, but delays in the recording process prevented the record from being released until August 1986, by which time the title was changed to Dancing on the Ceiling (in order to promote Richie's next single release).

Three more Top Tens followed "Say You, Say Me," as did "Se La," which became the first of Richie's solo singles not to reach the pop Top Ten. Overall, Dancing on the Ceiling didn't match the success of Can't Slow Down, but it still sold an impressive four million copies, although Richie's reputation for sentimental ballads was beginning to incur a backlash in some quarters. Richie's nine-year streak of writing at least one number one single (a feat matched only by Irving Berlin) came to an end in 1987. As a matter of fact, Richie all but disappeared from the music business, exhausted after two decades of recording and performing, and also occupied with taking care of his ailing father.

Richie's silence was broken in 1992, when Motown released a compilation titled Back to Front; in addition to some of his solo hits and a few Commodores tracks, Back to Front also featured three new songs, including the number one R&B hit "Do It to Me." Richie wasn't bitten by the recording bug again until 1996, by which time he'd endured his share of personal loss: his father had passed away, and his marriage to wife Brenda -- the muse behind some of his most successful ballads -- had fallen apart. In approaching his comeback, Richie attempted to update his sound to reflect a decade's worth of developments in R&B. The result, Louder Than Words, was a moderate success, reaching the Top 30 and going gold. However, it didn't produce any major hit singles, and Richie's nods to contemporary production trends were criticized as awkward. Released in 1998, Time found Richie in a more familiar element, relying on his signature sound with only slight musical updates. However, the album flopped, spending only a few weeks in the lower reaches of the charts.

Richie's next album, Renaissance, was released to a favorable reception in Europe in late 2000; it was issued in the U.S. in early 2001. It fared best in the U.K., where it went platinum. Three years later, on the heels of enduring a very public and bitter divorce with his second wife, Richie released Just for You, another album that was most successful in the U.K. The 2006 album Coming Home -- released the same year his popularity in certain Arab states was covered by mainstream media outlets -- found him working with an all-star cast of collaborators including Jermaine Dupri, Raphael Saadiq, Sean Garrett, and Dallas Austin. In the U.S., it reached the Top 10 of the pop and R&B charts. The wholly modern Just Go, released in 2009, featured assistance from Stargate, Terius "The-Dream" Nash, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, and Akon.

His next release was much different: 2012's Tuskegee featured fully countrified updates of hits from his past, including "Easy" (with Willie Nelson), "Hello" (with Jennifer Nettles), and "Dancing on the Ceiling" (with Rascal Flatts). The album reached the top of the U.S. pop and country charts. ~ Steve Huey, Rovi Commodores Artistfacts Artistfacts Artistfacts for Commodores The Commodores formed in 1968 during their freshman year at the Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama. Lionel Richie, Tom McClary and William King first met as members of a group called The Mystics. But after that group's disappointing performance at a freshman talent show, they merged members with another well-known local group called The Jays that had recently split-up. According to King, "we took a dictionary and threw it up in the air and decided that wherever it came down, we'd blind pick a word on that page." And with this game of chance, they became The Commodores.

They lucked out - they were almost "The Commodes." In 1969 The Commodores took a shot at the big time and committed their school summer vacation to gigging in New York City. Not long after their arrival they were robbed and left nearly destitute — six grown men sharing one room with one bed turned lengthwise at the Harlem YMCA. But with the help of Benny Ashburn, who would later go on to become the group's manager, the boys picked up an audition gig a little club called Small's Paradise. They called out all their old Tuskegee friends now living in NYC and the gig was a massive success, leading to a 3-week stand at the club. The Commodores returned to school in Tuskegee in the fall, but they made the 1,800-mile trek back to NYC almost every weekend thereafter to perform. After one of their many overnight drives from Tuskegee to New York City, The Commodores arrived at Lloyd Price's Turntable Club nearly 30 minutes late with a patched flat tire and the gas tank on E. Their manager Benny Ashburn had arranged an industry showcase, and the band feared they had already blown their chances.

Tired, sweaty and disoriented, the boys set up their gear and still managed to churn out a phenomenal set. A week later the phone rang, and Motown Records executive Suzanne DePasse offered The Commodores 42 dates as the opener on The Jackson Five's upcoming US tour. After inking a deal with Motown Records, The Commodores spent nearly 2 ½ years on the road with The Jackson Five. They also toured with other groups like The Temptations, Stevie Wonder and The Rolling Stones. But it took a while for the hits to start rolling in — first they had to break free of the Motown machine. Instead of recording the old standards or tracks by Motown songwriters, The Commodores eventually persuaded the label to let them enter the studio on their own. They teamed up with fellow Alabaman James Carmichael to produce their first hit — the synthesizer-laden instrumental track " Machine Gun " written by keyboardist Milan Williams. The track peaked at #24 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975.

After the success of ballads like " Easy " and " Three Times A Lady ," Commodores vocalist and saxophonist Lionel Richie stepped away from the group to pen the soulful pop track " Lady " for Country singer Kenny Rogers. The song was a smash, spending six weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. This success, coupled with his powerful duet with superstar Diana Ross on the title song for the movie Endless Love, signaled his eminent departure from The Commodores. In 1982 he broke from the group to pursue his solo career full time. After his unceremonious departure from The Commodores, Lionel Richie was replaced by former Heatwave singer J.D. Nicholas. The group was never able to capture their previous success, but they did score one more big hit. 1985's " Nightshift ," a tribute to Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson penned by Walter "Clyde" Orange, won the group their first Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. In 2010 the group rerecorded a version of the song as a tribute to the late Michael Jackson.

The Commodores - Dictionary definition of The Commodores | Encyclopedia.com: FREE online dictionary The Commodores COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale, a part of Cengage Learning The Commodores Sources Throughout the 1970s, the six-member Commodores grew into one of the biggest selling acts of all time. Breaking on to the scene with the album Machine Gun in 1974, the Commodores established a style of heavy funk, then moved on to score with a string of ballads. Although the band’s members shared in songwriting duties, singer Lionel Richie was singled out into the limelight, so much so that he left the band in 1982. While Richie’s subsequent solo career soared, a new incarnation of the Commodores that included vocalist J.D. Nicholas continued to make albums of lesser stature that veered increasingly toward a middle of the road style.

The Commodores’ story began in 1968 on the campus of the Tuskeegee Institute in Alabama when business majors William King, Thomas McClary, and Lionel Richie banded together as the Mighty Mystics because, as Richie later told Rolling Stone’s Steve Pond, “the best way to get girls was to play every party on campus.” The trio featured King on trumpet, McClary on guitar, and Richie taking up vocal duties, and were soon joined by For the Record… Members include William King, Jr., (born January 29, 1949, in Alabama), horns; Ronald LaPread (born 1950, in Alabama, left group in 1986), bass, trumpet; Thomas McClary (born 1950 in Mississippi , left group in 1983), guitar; James Dean “J.D.” Nicholas, (born April 11, 1952, in Paddington, England ), vocals; Walter “Clyde” Orange, (born December 9, 1946, in Florida .), drums, vocals; Lionel Richie (born 1950, in Tuskeegee, AL, left group in 19

82), vocals and piano; Milan Williams (born 1949, in Mississippi, left group in 1988), keyboards, trombone, guitar.

Band formed in 1968 by Richie, King, and McClary at the Tuskeegee Institute, in Alabama; took on manager Benny Ashburn, later to be called “the seventh Commodore,” 1968; signed with Motown and became opening act for the Jackson 5, 1971; released debut album Machine Gun, 1974; released Commodores, which featured several of the group’s biggest hit singles, 1977; appeared in the disco film Thank God It’s Friday, 1978; Richie departed for a successful solo career, 1982; released single and album Nightshift with new singer Nicholas, their last for Motown, 1985; signed to Polydor 1986; released United, 1986; released Rock Sollid, 1988; launched Commodore Records, 1992; released Commodores Hits (Vols. 1 & 2), 1992; released Commodores XX —No Tricks, 1993; Motown released definitive Commodores retrospective Ultimate Collection, 1997.

Awards: named best R&B Group in both Rolling Stone’s critics’ and readers’ polls, 1978; named act of the year by Performance magazine, 1978; Grammy Award for Best R&B Song by a Group for “Nightshift,” 1985. Address: Record Company —Motown Records, 5750 Wilshire Blvd. #300, Los Angeles , CA 90036 keyboard player Milan Williams after his band, The Jays, dissolved. After randomly flipping through a dictionary, the four some decided to dub themselves the Commodores, and adopted two more members, bassist Ronald LaPread and drummer Walter “Clyde” Orange. For over a decade, this lineup would not change. Went Pro Although Orange alone was a music major, all of the Commodores boasted rich musical backgrounds, as well as exposure to a wide variety of styles, as most of the sextet had relatives who were band leaders, composers, or performers. Richie, for example, had a grandmother who was a classical music teacher and an uncle who had arranged for the legendary big band leader Duke Ellington.

Their earliest performances and recordings may have belied a similarity with upbeat funk acts like Sly and the Family Stone, but their appetite for a wide palette of sounds would soon lead them to form their own sound. “People always want to tag us by citing [R&B stars] James Brown and the Temptations as our main influences,” Richie later told High Fidelity’s Stephen X. Rea. “But we also grew up in a pop environment. We listened to [rock acts like] the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, [country singers] Glen Campbell and Merle Haggard as much as we listened to Brown.” The group continued to play an often exhausting number of shows, squeezed into their class schedule, and began to expand their touring orbit beyond Tuskeegee. After packing their equipment into a van and trekking to New York City, the Commodores managed to slate a gig at the nightclub Small’s Paradise. Although the group’s instruments were stolen shortly after pulling into the city, the Commodores managed to buy back the hijacked equipment and deliver a show that impressed audience member and talent agent Benny Ashburn.

Ashburn immediately became the Commodores’ manager, and remained in that position until his death in the early 1982. Guided by Ashburn, the sextet capitalized on their own considerable business savvy and organized the Commodores into a no-nonsense corporation, complete with conduct guidelines and mission statements. The band’s members prided themselves in their professional, drugfree behavior and aimed their sights at surpassing the success of the Beatles, one of the biggest selling pop group ever. After an impressive European tour in 1970 and a forgettable debut single was released for Atlantic Records, the Commodores signed with the Motown label in 1971 but refused to adopt the company’s slick mode of packaging their acts and use of studio musicians. “We were different and Motown didn’t know what to do with us,” LaPread told Billboard. “We didn’t fit the standard way of doing things and we’d started to write our own songs. When we met up with producer James Carmichael, things changed. Carmichael was won over by the Commodore’s uncompromising attitude, and like Ashburn, continued to collaborate with the group for the next decade.

Became Pop Superstars It took three years of finagling before the Commodores were able to release their debut album Machine Gun, but in the interim they continued to make a name for themselves on stage, often as the opening act for Motown label mates the Jackson 5. However, if the Commodores had taken their time getting started, success quickly caught up with them. Machine Gun’s title cut, a bass-fueled funk workout written by Williams, became a Top 30 single and the album itself went gold shortly thereafter. After more touring with acts like the Rolling Stones and the O’Jays, the Commodores were able to draw crowds on their own merits and found their name topping the marquis of increasingly larger venues. For the next two albums, Caught In The Act and Movin’ On, the Commodores stuck with their aggressive funk sound, which helped lay the foundation for the emerging trend of disco dance music. With all six members sharing the writing duties, the group produced a number of hits, such as “Slippery When Wet” in 1975 and “Brick House,” released 1977,.

However, by 1977 the group began having immense luck with ballads written and sung by Richie. Aside from their lack of dance appeal, songs like “Easy,” written in 1977, showed Richie’s graceful blending of country flourishes with R&B, and he rapidly became identified by the public as the center of the Commodores. By the late 1970s, the Commodores had become veritable superstars, with each of their albums having sold anywhere from gold to triple platinum status. Much of this success continued to be credited to Richie’s love songs, with tunes like the number one A Three Times A Lady” inciting other performers to seek Richie’s services. Returning a favor to one of his influences, Richie penned the immensely popular ballad “Lady” for country singer Kenny Rogers, who also tapped Richie to produce his album Share Your Love in 1980. In addition to Richie’s allure, the Commodores benefited from their ever-keen business sense. Creating the umbrella corporation Commodore Entertainment, the group had turned a college party band into a multi-million dollar empire. “I think of these guys more as businessmen than musicians,” Richie confessed to Rea.

“We’re always thinking of the bottom line.” Bottom Line Began to Drop As the next decade began, the Commodores’ phenomenal success took a sharp dive, and for some critics, their growing corporate identity was to blame. For critics like Rolling Stone’s Stephen Holden, the emotion and energy of the group’s earlier work had faded into albums like Heroes, released in 1980, which offered bland material intended to appeal to the widest demographics. Although Heroes was in fact the first “message” album to be released by the Commodores, Holden found the record to be full of unconvincing platitudes, as well as sloppy songwriting.

“The title tune—which solemnly informs us that we are the heroes we’re searching for in an unheroic age—is a pep talk that takes itself so seriously that it depresses more than it uplifts.” Holden went on to say, “Wake Up Children’ utilizes simplistic nursery rhymes about pollution and the fate of man in a genteel pop-funk idiom that has no bite.” If Heroes was a relative disappointment overall, the release of In the Pocket put the group temporarily back on track, producing two top ten singles, such as the memorable “Lady (You Bring Me Up).” Still, the band could not shake off claims of overly commercial, adult contemporary banality from some critics. “[T]he Commodores’ In The Pocket exhibits some of the worst traits of current MOR (middle of the road) R&B: most depressingly, the tiresome me-man, you-lady condescension of the love songs and a lust for upward mobility expressed in the distressing visual pun on the album cover—the Commodores’ logo sewn onto the right hip pockets of the band members’ designer jeans.’ Nevertheless, the Commodores were still given a vote of confidence from record buyers.

Continued After Several Departures After In The Pocket, the Commodores suffered a series of heavy losses. In 1982, longtime manager Ashburn died of a heart attack, and shortly thereafter Richie left to pursue a solo career. McClary left the following year, to be replaced by singer James Dean “J.D” Nicholas, but the group’s stability was affected nonetheless. After the disappointing Commodores 13 was issued in 1983, producer Carmichael also fled the Commodores’ camp and the group waited a full two years before releasing their next record. The album Nightshift, released in 1985, marked a relative comeback for the Commodores, if only on the strength of its title cut, a stirring lament over Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye, two R&B singers whose lives had been cut tragically short. The song was a major hit, winning Grammy Award, and winning over even the most hardened critics.

As Mark Moses wrote in High Fidelity, “[w]hat’s’ distinctive about “Nightshift” is that this tribute doesn’t simply rest on sentimentality: Its arrangements may coo softly, but its percussion ticks with relentless syncopations, its bass relishes long ominous slides.” Still, many writers found the rest of Nightshift to be little more than filler material, as did Rolling Stone ’s J.D. Considine. “That the remainder of the album fails to measure up to [the title song’s] standard comes as no surprise. Because the Commodores have been unable either to resurrect the hard funk of their earliest hits or the sort of MOR ballads Lionel Richie once provided, the band continues to sound unsure of its musical direction and ends up wallowing in mediocrity.” As Richie grew to become one of the hallmarks of 1980s pop music with albums like the Grammy winning Can’t Slow Down, the Commodores all but disappeared from mainstream eyes. By the latter half of the decade, the group was stripped down to a trio, with LaPread and Williams having retired to their families.

After releasing the albums United and Rock Solid for Polydor, the enterprising Commodores once again showed their business know-how when they christened their own label in 1992. While the group did release an album of new material in 1993, Commodores XX—No Tricks, the trio primarily rested on the success of their past hits. With two greatest hits compilations released on Commodores Records, the group digitally re-recorded their standards, with Orange and Nicholas singing many tunes originally delivered by Richie. The trio also continued to perform live at state fairs and on nostalgia tours, and in 1998 celebrated what few pop acts can boast—thirtieth anniversary. Learn more about citation styles Citation styles Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). Within the “Cite this article” tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list.

Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. Therefore, it’s best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publication’s requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites: Modern Language Association Lionel Richie Timeline Biography | Twoop Born as Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. in Tuskegee, Alabama. 1968 During his time at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, he is a member of The Mystic along with Thomas McClary and William King. Later 1968 Milan William leaves the local band The Jays and joins The Mystics which quickly gets a name change, becoming The Commodores. Joining them is Walter Orange, a fellow college student. Nov. 1972 The Commodores sign with Motown Records. July 22, 1974 The Commodores release their first album, Machine Gun. Machine Gun The Commodores release their second album, Caught in the Act. Caught in the Act The Commodores release their third album, Movin’ On. Movin’ On The Commodores release their fourth album, Hot on the Tracks.

Hot Off the Tracks Appears with The Commodores in the movie Scott Joplin. March 30, 1977 The Commodores release their fifth album, Commodores. In the UK, the album is called Zoom. Commodores The single “Brick House” from Commodores album is released. Jan. 1, 1978 Appears with The Commodores in the movie Thank God It’s Friday performing the song “Too Hot to Trot”. May 1978 The Commodores release their sixth album, Natural High. Natural High May 1979 The single “Sail On” is the first single from their upcoming album Midnight Magic to be released. July 1979 The Commodores release their seventh album, Midnight Magic. Midnight Magic The Commodores release their eighth album, Heroes. Heroes Early 1981 He and Diana Ross sing the duet “Endless Love” and it becomes Motown’s most successful hit single. June 22, 1981 The Commodores release their ninth album, In the Pocket. It is the last Commodores album to include Lionel Richie. In the Pocket He leaves The Commodores to pursue a solo career.

March 29, 1982 He and Diana Ross perform “Endless Love” at the Academy Awards. 1982 After leaving The Commodores he releases his solo debut album Lionel Richie. Lionel Richie Releases his second album Can’t Slow Down. It sells over 10 million copies. Can’t Slow Down Can’t Slow Down wins a Grammy Award. Summer 1984 Makes a surprise appearance at the closing ceremonies of the Summer Olympics being held in Los Angeles. He sings “All Night Long.” 1985 Along with Michael Jackson , he co-writes the “USA For Africa” relief song “We Are the World.” July 15, 1986 Releases his third album Dancing on the Ceiling. Dancing on the Ceiling The video for “Dancing on the Ceiling” premieres. 1990 He and his wife adopt nine-year-old Nicole Escovedo, who after taking on their last name becomes Nicole Richie. May 10, 1991 Appears as himself in the documentary Madonna: Truth or Dare. May 5, 1992 He releases the compilation album Back to Front.

It also contains three new tracks, “Do It to Me, “My Destiny,” and “Love, Oh Love”. Back to Front Releases his fourth album Louder Than Words. Louder Than Words He releases his fifth album Time. Time He releases his sixth album Renaissance. Renaissance Gets a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame. May, 2004 He releases his seventh album Just For You. Just For You Aug. 11, 2004 Appears on Canadian Idol and helps out seven who will be singing some of his songs in the competition. Sept. 12, 2006 He releases his eighth album, Coming Home. Coming Home Nov. 25, 2007 He makes a surprise appearance on the Australian Idol grand finale and performs “All Night Long (All Night)”. May 2, 2008 He receives the George and Ira Gershwin Lifetime Achievement Award at UCLA’s annual Spring Sing. Dec. 31, 2008 He performs in Times Square for the New Year’s Eve celebration and ball drop. 2009 He releases his ninth album Just Go. Just Go He performs “Jesus is Love” at Michael Jackson’s memorial service.

March 4, 2011 Appears on an episode of Who Do You Think You Are? a show that traces celebrities’ family trees. March 5, 2012 He releases his tenth album, Tuskegee. Tuskegee He appears on Oprah’s Master Class on the OWN network. June 29, 2014 He receives the Lifetime Achievement Award at the BET Awards. July 17, 2014 His daughter Nicole Richie’s reality show, Candidly Nicole, premieres. In the first episode, Lionel tries to teach Nicole how to parallel park. Nov. 20, 2014 His is honored with the Legend of Live award at the 2014 Billboard Touring Awards. The award honors individuals who have made significant contributions to live music and who are committed to the live performance and creating a concert experience for fans. References Lionel Richie | Biography & History | AllMusic google+ Artist Biography by Steve Huey After leaving the Commodores , Lionel Richie became one of the most successful male solo artists of the '80s, arguably eclipsed during his 1981-1987 heyday only by Michael Jackson and Prince .

Richie dominated the pop charts during that period with an incredible run of 13 consecutive Top Ten hits, five of them number ones. As his popularity skyrocketed, Richie moved further away from his R&B origins and concentrated more on adult contemporary balladry, which had been one of his strengths even as part of the Commodores . After 1987, Richie fell silent, taking an extended break from recording and touring before beginning a comeback toward the end of the '90s. He settled into a relaxed recording and touring schedule. Through the early 2010s, his albums switched between sophisticated R&B, surprisingly pop-oriented material, and even contemporary country. Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. , was born on June 20, 1949, in Tuskegee, Alabama, and grew up on the campus of the Tuskegee Institute, where most of his family had worked for two generations prior. While attending college there, Richie joined the Commodores , who went on to become the most successful act on the Motown label during the latter half of the '70s.

Richie served as a saxophonist, sometime vocalist, and songwriter, penning ballads like "Easy," "Three Times a Lady," and "Still" (the latter two became the group's only number one pop hits). Although the Commodores maintained a democratic band structure through most of their chart run, things began to change when the '70s became the '80s. In 1980, Richie wrote and produced country-pop singer Kenny Rogers ' across-the-board number one smash "Lady," and the following year, Richie 's duet with Diana Ross , "Endless Love" (recorded for the Brooke Shields film of the same title), became the most successful single in Motown history, topping the charts for a stunning nine weeks. With the media's attention now focused exclusively on Richie , tensions within the Commodores began to mount, and before the end of 1981, Richie decided to embark on a solo career. Richie immediately set about recording his solo debut for Motown. Titled simply Lionel Richie , the album was released in late 1982 and was an immediate smash, reaching number three on the pop charts on its way to sales of over four million copies.

It spun off three Top Five pop hits, including the first single, "Truly," which became Richie 's first solo number one. If Lionel Richie made its creator a star, the follow-up, Can't Slow Down , made him a superstar. Boasting five Top Ten singles, including the number ones "All Night Long (All Night)" and "Hello," Can't Slow Down hit number one, eventually sold over ten million copies, and won the 1984 Grammy for Album of the Year. Such was Richie 's stature that he was invited to perform at the closing ceremonies of the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, a spectacular stage event that was broadcast worldwide. In 1985, Richie put his superstar status to work for a greater good, joining Michael Jackson in co-writing the USA for Africa charity single "We Are the World"; the all-star recording helped raise millions of dollars for famine relief. By the end of the year, he was on top of the charts again with "Say You, Say Me," a ballad recorded for the film White Nights but not included on the soundtrack album.

The song was slated to be the title track on Richie 's upcoming album, but delays in the recording process prevented the record from being released until August 1986, by which time the title was changed to Dancing on the Ceiling (in order to promote Richie 's next single release). Three more Top Tens followed "Say You, Say Me," as did "Se La," which became the first of Richie 's solo singles not to reach the pop Top Ten. Overall, Dancing on the Ceiling didn't match the success of Can't Slow Down , but it still sold an impressive four million copies, although Richie 's reputation for sentimental ballads was beginning to incur a backlash in some quarters. Richie 's nine-year streak of writing at least one number one single (a feat matched only by Irving Berlin ) came to an end in 1987. As a matter of fact, Richie all but disappeared from the music business, exhausted after two decades of recording and performing, and also occupied with taking care of his ailing father.

Richie 's silence was broken in 1992, when Motown released a compilation titled Back to Front ; in addition to some of his solo hits and a few Commodores tracks, Back to Front also featured three new songs, including the number one R&B hit "Do It to Me." Richie wasn't bitten by the recording bug again until 1996, by which time he'd endured his share of personal loss: his father had passed away, and his marriage to wife Brenda -- the muse behind some of his most successful ballads -- had fallen apart. In approaching his comeback, Richie attempted to update his sound to reflect a decade's worth of developments in R&B. The result, Louder Than Words , was a moderate success, reaching the Top 30 and going gold. However, it didn't produce any major hit singles, and Richie 's nods to contemporary production trends were criticized as awkward. Released in 1998, Time found Richie in a more familiar element, relying on his signature sound with only slight musical updates. However, the album flopped, spending only a few weeks in the lower reaches of the charts.

Richie 's next album, Renaissance , was released to a favorable reception in Europe in late 2000; it was issued in the U.S. in early 2001. It fared best in the U.K., where it went platinum. Three years later, on the heels of enduring a very public and bitter divorce with his second wife, Richie released Just for You , another album that was most successful in the U.K. The 2006 album Coming Home -- released the same year his popularity in certain Arab states was covered by mainstream media outlets -- found him working with an all-star cast of collaborators including Jermaine Dupri , Raphael Saadiq , Sean Garrett , and Dallas Austin . In the U.S., it reached the Top 10 of the pop and R&B charts. The wholly modern Just Go , released in 2009, featured assistance from Stargate , Terius "The-Dream" Nash , Christopher "Tricky" Stewart , and Akon .

His next release was much different: 2012's Tuskegee featured fully countrified updates of hits from his past, including "Easy" (with Willie Nelson ), "Hello" (with Jennifer Nettles ), and "Dancing on the Ceiling" (with Rascal Flatts ). The album reached the top of the U.S. pop and country charts. Lionel Richie on Apple Music To preview a song, mouse over the title and click Play. Open iTunes to buy and download music. Biography After leaving the Commodores, Lionel Richie became one of the most successful male solo artists of the '80s, arguably eclipsed during his 1981-1987 heyday only by Michael Jackson and Prince. Richie dominated the pop charts during that period with an incredible run of 13 consecutive Top Ten hits, five of them number ones. As his popularity skyrocketed, Richie moved further away from his R&B origins and concentrated more on adult contemporary balladry, which had been one of his strengths even as part of the Commodores. After 1987, Richie fell silent, taking an extended break from recording and touring before beginning a comeback toward the end of the '90s.

He settled into a relaxed recording and touring schedule. Through the early 2010s, his albums switched between sophisticated R&B, surprisingly pop-oriented material, and even contemporary country. Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr., was born on June 20, 1949, in Tuskegee, Alabama, and grew up on the campus of the Tuskegee Institute, where most of his family had worked for two generations prior. While attending college there, Richie joined the Commodores, who went on to become the most successful act on the Motown label during the latter half of the '70s. Richie served as a saxophonist, sometime vocalist, and songwriter, penning ballads like "Easy," "Three Times a Lady," and "Still" (the latter two became the group's only number one pop hits). Although the Commodores maintained a democratic band structure through most of their chart run, things began to change when the '70s became the '80s.

In 1980, Richie wrote and produced country-pop singer Kenny Rogers' across-the-board number one smash "Lady," and the following year, Richie's duet with Diana Ross, "Endless Love" (recorded for the Brooke Shields film of the same title), became the most successful single in Motown history, topping the charts for a stunning nine weeks. With the media's attention now focused exclusively on Richie, tensions within the Commodores began to mount, and before the end of 1981, Richie decided to embark on a solo career. Richie immediately set about recording his solo debut for Motown. Titled simply Lionel Richie, the album was released in late 1982 and was an immediate smash, reaching number three on the pop charts on its way to sales of over four million copies. It spun off three Top Five pop hits, including the first single, "Truly," which became Richie's first solo number one. If Lionel Richie made its creator a star, the follow-up, Can't Slow Down, made him a superstar.

Boasting five Top Ten singles, including the number ones "All Night Long (All Night)" and "Hello," Can't Slow Down hit number one, eventually sold over ten million copies, and won the 1984 Grammy for Album of the Year. Such was Richie's stature that he was invited to perform at the closing ceremonies of the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, a spectacular stage event that was broadcast worldwide. In 1985, Richie put his superstar status to work for a greater good, joining Michael Jackson in co-writing the USA for Africa charity single "We Are the World"; the all-star recording helped raise millions of dollars for famine relief. By the end of the year, he was on top of the charts again with "Say You, Say Me," a ballad recorded for the film White Nights but not included on the soundtrack album. The song was slated to be the title track on Richie's upcoming album, but delays in the recording process prevented the record from being released until August 1986, by which time the title was changed to Dancing on the Ceiling (in order to promote Richie's next single release).

Three more Top Tens followed "Say You, Say Me," as did "Se La," which became the first of Richie's solo singles not to reach the pop Top Ten. Overall, Dancing on the Ceiling didn't match the success of Can't Slow Down, but it still sold an impressive four million copies, although Richie's reputation for sentimental ballads was beginning to incur a backlash in some quarters. Richie's nine-year streak of writing at least one number one single (a feat matched only by Irving Berlin) came to an end in 1987. As a matter of fact, Richie all but disappeared from the music business, exhausted after two decades of recording and performing, and also occupied with taking care of his ailing father.

Richie's silence was broken in 1992, when Motown released a compilation titled Back to Front; in addition to some of his solo hits and a few Commodores tracks, Back to Front also featured three new songs, including the number one R&B hit "Do It to Me." Richie wasn't bitten by the recording bug again until 1996, by which time he'd endured his share of personal loss: his father had passed away, and his marriage to wife Brenda -- the muse behind some of his most successful ballads -- had fallen apart. In approaching his comeback, Richie attempted to update his sound to reflect a decade's worth of developments in R&B. The result, Louder Than Words, was a moderate success, reaching the Top 30 and going gold. However, it didn't produce any major hit singles, and Richie's nods to contemporary production trends were criticized as awkward. Released in 1998, Time found Richie in a more familiar element, relying on his signature sound with only slight musical updates. However, the album flopped, spending only a few weeks in the lower reaches of the charts.

Richie's next album, Renaissance, was released to a favorable reception in Europe in late 2000; it was issued in the U.S. in early 2001. It fared best in the U.K., where it went platinum. Three years later, on the heels of enduring a very public and bitter divorce with his second wife, Richie released Just for You, another album that was most successful in the U.K. The 2006 album Coming Home -- released the same year his popularity in certain Arab states was covered by mainstream media outlets -- found him working with an all-star cast of collaborators including Jermaine Dupri, Raphael Saadiq, Sean Garrett, and Dallas Austin. In the U.S., it reached the Top 10 of the pop and R&B charts. The wholly modern Just Go, released in 2009, featured assistance from Stargate, Terius "The-Dream" Nash, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, and Akon.

His next release was much different: 2012's Tuskegee featured fully countrified updates of hits from his past, including "Easy" (with Willie Nelson), "Hello" (with Jennifer Nettles), and "Dancing on the Ceiling" (with Rascal Flatts). The album reached the top of the U.S. pop and country charts. ~ Steve Huey Top Albums

Question: Which singer went solo after performing with the Commodores?
Answer: Lionel Richie